Filling-replenishing loom.



PATENTEDLOGT'ZO, 1903 A. E; RHOADES. FILLING REPLENISHING 'LOOM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 18, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES;

l atent ed October 20, 1903.

PATENT; OFFICE.

ALONZO E. RHOADES, OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO DRAPERCOMPANY, OF PORTLAND, MAINE, AND HOPEDALE, MAS- SAGHUSETTS.

FlLLlNG-REPLENISHING LOOM.

SPECTFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 741,717, dated October20, 1903.

Application filed May 18, 1903.

To a whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALONZO E. RHOADES, a citizen of the United States,residing at Hopedale, county of Worcester, State of Massachusetts, haveinvented an Improvement in Automatic Filling-Replenishing Looms, ofwhich the following description, in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representinglike parts.

This invention relates particularly to that type of filling replenishinglooms usually termed feeler-looms, wherein a fresh supply of filling isprovided by replenishing mechanism operated automatically uponsubstantial exhaustion of the filling in the running shuttle, such aloom being shown in United States Patent No. 648,986. The means forcontrolling the replenishing mechanism includes a member adapted to beengaged and operated by a suitable actuator, such as the weft-hammer,when through the instrumentality of a filling-feeler the said'member isoperatively positioned. In certain structures of this general type adetent is withdrawn from cooperation with the member referred to by orthrough filling-induced movement of the feeler at every other forwardbeat of the lay until by substantial exhaustion of the filling in theshuttle the filling-induced movement of the feeler isinsufficient towithdraw the detent, and thereupon the actuator engages the said memberand eifects the operation of the controlling means and fillingreplenishment is accomplished.

In my present invention I have devised a feeler which has no movementrelative to the feeler-carrier until the filling in the shuttle issubstantially exhausted. At such" time and while there yet remainssufficient filling in the shuttle to extend one or more times across thelay the feeler has imparted to it a movement relative to thefeeler-carrier, and such feeler movement causes a detent to cooperatewith and operatively position a member of the controlling means to beengaged and moved by the actuator, herein shown as the weft-hammer.Until such relative movement of the feeler the detent is not moved intocooperative relation with the said member of the controlling means, andI have so Serial No. 157,595. (No model.)

constructed the apparatus that a very slight movement of the feelerrelative to its carrier will cause a much greater movement of thedetent. A fine and accurate operation of the feeler mechanism is therebyinsured, so that the amount of filling remaining in the shuttle at thetime of filling replenishment is reduced to a minimum.

The entire apparatus is simple, compact, and direct-acting and positivein its operation.

The various novel features of my invention will be describedhereinafter, and particularly pointed out in the following claims:

Figure l is a plan View, centrally broken out, of an automaticfilling-replenishing loom embodying one form of my invention, the partsbeing shown in normal running position. Fig. '2 is an enlargedsectionaldetail on the line 2 2, Fig. 1, looking toward the right. Fig. 3 is anenlarged section through the feeler-carrier and feeler on the line 3 3,Fig. 1, showing a device for preventing relative movement of the feelerand carrier from accidental causes; and Fig. 4 is a detail view in plan,showing the relative movement of the feeler upon substantial exhaustionof. the filling, preparatory to effecting filling replenishment.

The breast-beam A lay A filling-feeder F, controlling rock-shaft d, theshipper N its holding-plate N, and the feeler-carrier f f fulcrumed at aon a bracket a, mounted on the holding-plate may be and aresubstantially as in United States Patent N 0. 677,607

save that the outer end of the feeler-carrier is extended rearwardly atf, Figs. 1 and 4. An upright stud 5 on the extension serves as a fulcrumfor the feelerf, having its feelingface broadened at f and with aprojection 4 at its outer corner, and, referring toFig. 3, the underside of feeler is provided with two sockets or depressions 7 and 8,placed side by side. The extension f has a depending boss 1 socketed toreceive an upwardly movable plunger having a rounded head f to enter oneof the sockets 7 or 8, a spring s press= ing the plunger upward andinto'a socket, as shown in Fig. 3. The front end of the feeler extendsbeyond the arm f of the feeler-carrier and is pivotally connected at 6to a link cl, bent rearwardly at d to clear the fulcrum a and thenextended toward the center of the loom. At or near its free end thecarrier-arm f has an upright pin 9, which extends loosely through anelongated slot 10 in the link, said slot being diagonal to the length ofthe arm f, and beyond the slot the link is extended to form a detent d",projecting above ashelf 30. Normally the plunger-head f is seated in thesocket 8 and the pin 9 is at the right-hand end of the slot 10, as inFig. 1, and when the feeler f intermittingly passes through slots in theshuttle-box B and shuttle S, Fig. 1, the filling in the shuttle engagesthe feeler and moves it forward on the beatup, the feeler-carrierrocking on its fulcrum a against the spring 70. At first there is norelative movement of feeler and feeler-carrier; but when the fillingwears off down to a preliminary bunch or winding b Fig. l, on thefilling-carrier b such hunch engages the projection 4 before the end fof the feeler engages the filling-carrier, and thereby the feeler isswung on its fulcrum 5 relatively to the carrier, so that theplunger-head f slips out of the socket 8 and snaps into socket 7.

It will be seen that owing to the greater leverage between fulcrum 5 andthe link connection 6 a very slight turning of the feeler will cause avery much greater longitudinal movement ofthe link to the right, andthereby the detent d will be moved across the shelf 30 and intooperative position, the slot-andpin connection 10 and 9 guiding theinner end of the link at such time. This condition of affairs is shownin Fig. 4, the lay being supposed to be at front center and the partsare in readiness to elfect filling replenishment, as will now bedescribed.

A member of the controlling means for the replenishing mechanism isshown as a latch d, pivoted at its front end on an upturned arm d faston the controlling rock-shaft d, Fig. 2, the rear end of the latchextending beyond the breast-beam at d and a cam-face (Z is formed on theunder edge of the latch. (See dotted lines, Fig. 2.) At one side of theguide m for the slide m of the weft-fork m an upturned head to issecured to the wefthammer V, said head having a notched hunter w (shownin dotted lines in Fig. 2) to at times engage the end d of the latch, asin United States Patent No. 720,209. The head 20 has an upturnedprojection to to v travel beneath the latch end al and permit the latterto drop below the path of the hunter ta on each forward stroke of thewefthammer unless the latch is otherwise held up. The weft-hammer actsin usual manner upon detection of filling failure by the filling-fork mto release the shipper. The shelf 30 forms a part of the guide on andhas an upright shoulder 32, against which the spring holds the detentd", except when the feeler-carrier is moved by filling-induced movementof the feeler. On each backward stroke of the weft-hammer the .pro-

jection w rides under the'cam-face d and lifts the end al of the latchinto the position shown in Fig. 2, and said latch .is provided with alateral shelf d, which overhangs the detent (Z when the latter isoperatively positioned, as shown in Fig. 4. So long as there is norelative movement of the feeler and feeler-carrier the latch end al willdrop below the path of the hunter ta on each outward stroke of theweft-hammer, the latter moving on alternate beats of the lay as usual;

but when the substantial exhaustion of the filling in the shuttle causesthe feeler to turn on the carrier the detent (Z will he moved into theposition shown in Fig. 4 beneath the overhanging shelf (1 Then when thewefthammer moves forward the detent acts upon the shelf d to hold thelatch end (1 up in the hunter path, and the hunter engages it, moves thelatch d outward, and thereby rocks the arm (1 and the rock-shaft cl inthe direction of arrow 20, Fig. 2, effecting the actuation of thereplenishing mechanism in well-known manner. When the fresh supply offilling is inserted in the shuttle, the first engagement thereof withthe feeler turns the latter on its fulcrum 5 back into the positionrelative to the feeler-carrier shown in Fig. 1, withdrawing the detentd" from beneath the latch-shoulder d", and the loom runs normally untilthe fresh filling is woven down to substantial exhaustion. Thespringcontrolled plunger on the feeler-carrier keeps the feeler inproper position relatively to the carrier and prevents prematuremovement of the feeler from accidental causes.

By the construction shown the detent is not called into action untilnecessary, and unnecessary movement and wear of the parts will beprevented, and at the same time a very close feeling action is effected.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. In a loom provided with automatic fillingreplenishing mechanism,controlling means therefor including an operating member, an actuator toengage and move said member when operatively positioned,a movablefeelercarrier, a filling-feeler movable with and relatively to saidcarrier, and a detent positively connected with the feeler and to effectoperative positioning of the said member of the controlling means,presence of filling in the shuttle causing movement of the feeler andfeeler-carrier in unison, and substantial exhaustion of the filling inthe shuttle effecting a movement of the feeler relative to its carrierand thereby causing the detent to position the operating member to beengaged by the actuator.

2. In a loom provided with automatic fillingreplenishing mechanism,controlling means therefor including an operating member, an actuator toengage and move said member when operatively positioned, a swingingfeeler carrier, a feeler pivotally mounted IIO thereon and moved inunison with the carrierby the presence and moved relatively thereto bythe substantial exhaustion of filling in the shuttle, and a deviceconnected with the feeler and moved thereby to operatively position theoperating member of the controlling means when the feeleris movedrelatively to the feeler-carrier.

3. In aloom provided with automatic fillingreplenishing mechanism,controlling means therefor including an operating member, an actuator toengage and move said member when operatively positioned, a swingingfeeler carrier, a feeler pivotally mounted thereon and moved in unisonwith the carrier by the presence and moved relatively thereto by thesubstantial exhaustion of filling in the shuttle, a device to preventaccidental or premature relative movement of the feeler, and a deviceactuated by relative movement of the latter to operatively position theoperating member of the controlling means.

4. In a loom provided with automatic fillingreplenishing mechanism,controlling means therefor including an operating member, an actuator toengage and move said member when operatively positioned, a swingingfeeler carrier, a feeler pivotally mounted thereon and moved in unisonwith the carrier by the presence and moved relatively thereto by thesubstantial exhaustion of filling in the shuttle, a spring-controlledcatch to prevent accidental or premature relative movement of thefeeler, and a device actuated by such relative movement of the feeler tooperatively position the operating member of the controlling means..

5. In a loom provided with automatic fillingreplenishing mechanism,controlling means therefor including a latch, a weft-hammer having ahunter to engage and move the latch when operatively positioned, anormally inactive detent, and a filling-feeler positively andpermanently connected therewith, substantial exhaustion of the fillingin the shuttle acting through the feeler to move the detent intocooperation with and thereby operatively position the latch.

6. In a loom provided with automatic filling-g replenishing mechanism,controlling means therefor including a latch,a weft-hammer having abunter to engage and move the latch when operatively positioned, aswinging feeler-carrier, a feeler pivotally mounted thereon and moved inunison therewith by intermitting engagement with the filling in theshuttle until substantial exhaustion of the filling, a detent, and alink connecting it and the feeler, movement of the feeler relatively tothe feeler-carrier upon substantial exhaustion of the filling actingthrough the link to slide the detent into cooperative engagrlaament withand to operatively position the atc 7. In aloom provided with automaticfillingreplenishing mechanism, controlling means therefor including alatch,-a weft-hammer having a hunter to engage and move the latch whenoperatively positioned, a swinging feelercarrier, a feeler pivotallymounted thereon and moved in unison therewith by intermitting engagementwith the filling in the shuttle until substantial exhaustion of thefilling, a spring-operated catch on the feeler-carrier to engage thefeeler and prevent premature movement thereof relative to thefeeler-carrier, and a detent operatively connected with the feeler,substantial exhaustion of the filling effecting relative movement of thefeeler and thereby causing the detent to operatively position the latch.

8. In aloom provided with automatic fillingreplenishing mechanism,controlling means therefor includinga latch, a weft-hammer having ahunter to engage and move the latch when operatively positioned, aswinging feeler-carrier, a feeler pivoted thereon and extended forwardbeyond its pivot, a device to prevent premature movement of the feelerrelatively to the carrier, a link connected at its outer end with theforward extension of the feeler and slidably connected at its inner endwith the feeler-carrier, and a detent on the inner end of the link,presence of filling in the shuttle preventing and substantial exhaustionof the feeler causing relative movement of the feeler and thefeeler-carrier, such relative movement of the feeler causing cooperationof the detent and latch and operatively positioning the latter.

9. In aloom provided with automatic fillingreplenishing mechanism,controlling means therefor including a latch, a Weft-hammer having ahunter to engage'and move the latch when operatively positioned, aswinging feeler-carrier, an elongated feeler pivoted nearer its rear endon the carrier, a link connected with the outer end of the feeler, and adetent attached to the link and slidably connected with thefeeler-carrier, the contact portion of the feeler being laterallybroad-' IIO ened, intermitting engagement of the feeler with the fillingin the shuttle causing the feeler and feeler-carrier to move in unisonWitnesses:

GEORGE O'rrs DRAPER, ERNEST W. W001).

